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Weekly Meal Plan // December 12-18

December 12, 2021 By msmart Leave a Comment

Looking for an easy dinner recipe? Try the Quick Lamb Ragu Recipe from Smart In The Kitchen.

Busy Days Call for Easy Dinners

There’s no time to wax poetic about family dinner. Let’s get right to it, shall we? Hope you all have a great week ahead.

SUNDAY

Chicken and wild rice soup and a big green salad. I’m making this in the Instant Pot, but you could just as easily make it in a heavy soup pot on the stove.

MONDAY

Homemade pizza for individual pies. The dough needs to rise for a couple of hours but can be refrigerated overnight afterward (in case you want to have some later in the week). Grab your red sauce of choice (Rao’s for me!), pesto, pepperoni, and anything else that sounds good. Roasted shishitos to snack on while we shape our pizzas. If you don’t feel like making homemade dough, Trader Joe’s makes a great store-bought one, or grab your favorite frozen dough.

TUESDAY

I want something VERY low maintenance tonight to keep things relaxed during midterms. Chicken tinga in the slow cooker instead of the Instant Pot, just add everything to the pot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8. I’ll have mine in a bowl over fresh spinach leaves with black beans, avocados, and salsa.

WEDNESDAY

I have a holiday dinner tonight, so I’m leaving my family with the ultimate easy dinner. Baked tortellini (minus the Italian sausage most likely, because I already have the rest of the ingredients).

THURSDAY

Last day of midterms, Jesus take the wheel. I have an afternoon cocktail and appetizer class, and I might just have to partake in one of these:

Pomegranate Smash Bourbon Cocktail

Makes one large or two smaller cocktails

  • 2 ounces bourbon or whiskey
  • 1 ounce pomegranate juice
  • 1 ounce sweet red vermouth
  • 1/2 ounce (about a generous squeeze) lemon juice
  • 1 ounce ginger beer
  • 1 dash orange bitters

Garnish: Sprig of thyme or rosemary

Combine the bourbon, juice, vermouth, lemon juice and ginger beer in a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain it into an ice-filled cocktail glass.

Add a dash of orange bitters and garnish with fresh herbs.

FRIDAY

Our last corporate cooking class of the season, and it’s a holiday dinner party menu for entertaining. I’m sure I’ll be completely zonked by the end of the day and I’ll probably be happy with a fried egg sandwich and a glass of wine. If you want something easy this weekend, I suggest this quick lamb ragu over polenta. Yes, you can make it with beef, but good ground lamb is delicious!

Filed Under: Weekly Meal Plans Tagged With: easy dinner, easy family meals, family dinner, meal plan, weekly meal plan, weeknight dinner

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Marcia Smart
Marcia Smart is a cooking instructor, recipe developer and food writer who wants to help you make good, simple meals for your family and friends. She craves food that's seasonal and delicious and wants to share it with you. A California girl living in a Houston world with her husband and three children.

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